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Undergraduate Transfer Patterns

Enrollment Statistics at a Glance - Undergraduate Transfers

In fall 2014, ten percent, or 31,028 undergraduates were admitted to Minnesota institutions with transfer credits from another institution. In addition, another 1,640 undergraduates were admitted to institutions having previously attended another postsecondary institution but their credits did not or could not transfer.

With recent improvements in the transfer process within Minnesota public institutions and improved access to online courses, transferring credits has become more common.

*Currently this category includes Capella University and Walden University. These institutions have corporate offices in Minnesota. Their nation-wide enrollment is reported. Most of their students are graduate students and students enrolled from out of state.

Source: Minnesota Office of Higher Education

Transfer Activity Increasing

The number of undergraduates admitted to Minnesota institutions with transfer credits in Minnesota increased by 37 percent from 22,628 in 2005 to 31,028 in 2014.

It is normally assumed that undergraduates who transfer do so from a two-year college to a four-year college or university, but this is not the case. Half of the transfer activity involves students transferring into a state college (two-year) from either a four-year institution or another two-year institution. Students tend to swirl around institutions to find the right academic or program fit. Taking online classes at multiple institutions increases transfer credit activity also.

To find transfer-out rates at individual institutions go to the College Navigator. Data are reported with the IPEDS Graduation Rate Survey to the National Center for Education Statistics.